


Smoke and Mirrors

by the_technicolor_whiscash



Series: Smoke and Mirrors [1]
Category: Mystery Science Theater 3000
Genre: Gen, Mirrorverse, a touch of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-21 14:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11946177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_technicolor_whiscash/pseuds/the_technicolor_whiscash
Summary: Jonah Heston finds himself in a very different alternate universe. Different, but not necessarily worse.





	Smoke and Mirrors

**Author's Note:**

> My poor boy Jonah... I just want him to be happy

Jonah blinked. Something had just happened, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what. He had been talking with the Mads, who had decided to send some kind of matter transference machine up to the Satellite, when his vision suddenly went black. After no more than a second, it had returned, but something was definitely off. 

He blinked again, and then he realized. He was no longer on the SOL. Instead, he seemed to be down in Moon 13, with the Mads somehow on the Satellite. The Mads wore the unmistakable jumpsuit of the Gizmonic Institute, while Jonah himself wore a lab coat of the same yellow that his jumpsuit was. It looked much uglier in a lab coat, but he would have to address that later. 

“Jonah?” Crow said, in a voice that seemed distinctly un-Crow-like. “Earth to Jonah, are you with us?”

“What? Uh, Crow, what’s wrong with your voice?”

“This is the same voice I've always had. Is there something wrong with you?”

G nodded from beside Crow. “Yeah, you seemed to have sort of blanked out there. Want me to run your vitals?”

Jonah frowned. “What’s going on with you guys? How did I get down here? Tom, do you know what’s happening?”

“Unfortunately, I do.” Tom said, his voice grave. “They sent up the matter transference machine during an ion storm. We’re in a different universe.” 

“Different universe? I thought that was a myth!”

“Nope. I've been here once before, back when Mike was still on the Satellite. That time, G and I ended up here and Mike was evil.”

It was hard to imagine Mike Nelson as evil. But, evidently, Jonah himself would have been evil in this universe. Which meant…

“Are we the Mads in this universe?”

“Yep. And Kinga and Max are our test subjects.”

Jonah’s head was spinning. What did this mean? Would the Mads no longer be evil? How would he be able to get back to his own universe?

Suddenly, alternate-Kinga coughed, getting Jonah’s attention. “What’s going on down there?”

“It’s… kind of hard to explain. I’m not the Jonah from this universe. I’m the Jonah from a different universe.” 

“Seriously? I knew he shouldn't have tried to send that matter transference machine up.”

“That’s what you guys did in my universe. I guess it was a problem on both ends.”

“Hold on. In this other universe, we’re the Mads?” 

“Yeah, and I’m the test subject. It’s like our roles were switched or something.”

“So you're not evil?”

“Of course I'm not evil. Though I guess that means you guys aren't either, as hard as that is for me to believe.”

“If you're not evil-Jonah, then can you bring us down from this satellite?” 

Oh yeah. If these versions of the Mads were good, they didn't deserve to be trapped up on the Satellite. No one deserved to be trapped there. Except… “I would. But I have no idea how.”

Kinga’s face fell. “Well, can the Bots help you? It looks like only Servo is your weird alternate universe version.”

Servo scoffed. “Hey, I’m not the weird one here.”

Jonah sighed as he turned to alternate Crow. “Do you know how to get them down here with that pipe that’s used for the show opener?”

“I might.” Crow said. 

“Well, can you do it?”

“I don't know, can I?”

Alternate G groaned. “Oh, hell, let me do it.” 

She snaked away before Jonah could even mutter a thank you. Evidently, alternate G was not the most fun to be around. But she did what was necessary, and before he knew it, the Mads were standing in front of him. Though they weren't really the Mads, not in this universe. He was the mad scientist. And that scared him. 

“Thank you for this. If it weren't for you, we might've been stuck up there forever.” Alternate Kinga said. 

“It was no trouble, really. Though I can only wonder what this universe’s Jonah will think when he gets back and sees you two gone.”

Alt-Max frowned. “You’re sure the universes will switch back? The matter transference machine is still up on the Satellite.” 

Jonah hadn't really thought about that. “Well, I guess I'll just have to hope things straighten themselves out. Hopefully alternate me doesn't convince the Mads to let him come down to earth too.”

Alt-Kinga nodded. “They’ll probably keep him up there. Can't have an experiment without a test subject.” 

“So I assume you guys will be heading to earth.”

“That’s the plan. Do you want to come with us?”

Earth. Jonah hadn't seen his home planet in months. But this earth was different. It was the earth of an alternate universe. Plus, he was evil in this universe. Who knows who he had angered in his evil conquest. But he yearned to see his home again. Even if it was different. 

“Sure. I've got nothing to lose.” He looked at the Bots. He couldn't very well leave them on the moon. “You guys want to come with us?”

Servo nodded. “I'm in, if only because we’re both in a different universe from our own and should probably stick together.” 

“Crow? G? How about you guys?”

“You know,” Crow said, “you're definitely different from our universe’s Jonah, since he never would have asked us nicely. Sure, I'm in.”

“Me too. But what happens if we’re back on earth, and suddenly you switch back to your own universe?” G asked. 

“I… I didn't really think about that. I guess that’ll be his problem at that point.”

Kinga cleared her throat. “I guess we should just head to the backjack.” 

“Right. Yeah.” Jonah said. His mind was enveloped in the thought of seeing earth again. To be able to go the places he wanted to go, to see the things he wanted to see, to not have to worry about a robot stealing his underpants… what did it matter that it was a different universe?

They all piled into the backjack, which was probably too small for three people and four robots, but that didn't deter them. Kinga plugged in some coordinates, and they began to fly to earth. The blue and green sphere grew larger and larger, and Jonah felt his heart rate begin to pick up. He was finally heading home. 

Jonah blinked. He blinked again. Something was wrong. Something had changed. He was back on the Satellite of Love. The Mads were on the other side of the screen. 

He was back in his own universe. Back to being tortured by the Mads. Kinga wasn't the kind person she was in the other universe. 

He was back. And he was stuck here.

**Author's Note:**

> BUT HES NOT GONNA BE HAPPY HERE


End file.
